Hood River Rat (Hood River Hoodlums #1) - K Webster Page 0,70

out.”

She continues to talk as she walks over to a front desk. The person motions for us to wait in the lobby area with a million other people. Kelsey finds a chair, but I can’t sit. I pace in front of the vending machine, worry eating me from the inside out. Someone vacates a chair and I fall into it, suddenly exhausted. My life is a mess and I don’t know how to fix any of it.

I wake when someone tosses a package of muffins at me. With the heel of my hand, I rub at my eye. The waiting room has thinned out some. Mike settles in the seat beside me with a package of muffins for himself.

A man strides over to us. Muscular. Handsome. Confident. Familiar. He sits beside Kelsey and for a moment, I think he’s the doctor. I perk up, listening to what he has to say.

“It’s a perforation on the stomach. A pretty good-sized tear from an untreated ulcer,” he tells her. “They’re prepping him for emergency surgery.”

Doctor.

Definitely the doctor.

“I told you to get my son to the doctor. I knew something was wrong,” he hisses, his voice turning nasty.

I’m already on my feet stalking over to him, crushing the muffins in my fist. “Do not blame this shit on her when all she’s ever done is take care of your fucking kids.”

The guy’s eyes—blue and just like Hollis’s widen—and he gapes at me. “And who the hell do you think you are, young man?”

“I’m your son’s boyfriend,” I spit out at him. “And if you have a problem, you can take it up with me.”

Mike grips my shoulder. “Enough, bud. That’s enough.”

“I’m going to have security take this brat out of here,” Hollis’s dad states, an air of superiority in his tone.

“Garrett,” Kelsey says in exasperation. “Cut the kid some slack. Cut me some slack. We’re all doing the best we can. He’s worried about him. If you think you’re going to go in there and act this way around Hollis, he’ll never forgive you.”

Garrett’s shoulders hunch. “It’s just a serious condition, Kels. If he were to go septic, his organs could fail. We could lose our son. I feel like had I been around, I would’ve seen…” He trails off, fisting his hands. “This is all my fault.”

The idea of losing Hollis makes me suck in a sharp, horrified breath. Both Garrett and Kelsey wince. They must feel that pain every bit as much as I do.

Mike gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Want to grab a coffee?”

Kelsey gives me a small smile and a nod. “We’ll be right here. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

I allow Mike to guide me down to a Starbucks kiosk. I’m numb as he walks over to take our order. My phone buzzes in my pocket. As soon as I pull it out, my heart stutters.

Roux.

I fucking forgot she had a phone.

“Roux,” I grind out.

Sobs.

All I hear are sobs.

I lose my fucking mind.

Hollis

“There you are,” an unfamiliar voice says. “How are you feeling?”

I blink in confusion. I’m in the hospital. “What’s going on?”

“You, sir, are getting ready for surgery. I’m your nurse, Fran. Dr. Edmond will be in soon to go over what he’ll be doing.” She smiles. “Your parents are here to see you.”

Parents?

Dread washes over me, making the heart rate monitor beep like crazy. I don’t have a second to process her words before Mom rushes in. Her eyes are red from crying or fatigue, I’m not sure.

“Oh, baby,” she croons, grabbing my hand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were so sick.”

“I’m fine,” I tell her in the brightest tone I can muster.

“You’re not fine,” a deep voice booms. “Your stomach is bleeding, son. That hole is only going to get bigger left untreated.”

I cringe, closing my eyes. “Why is he here?”

“I’m sorry,” Mom whispers. “I am.”

“I’m here because you’re my son,” Dad says with such arrogance I want to slap him.

“You kicked us out,” I mutter, lacking the energy I crave to yell at him.

“I’m not here to fight.” Dad regards me with a haggard expression. “I’m worried about you.”

Hot tears burn in my eyes. I blink them away. I hate my father. I hate that he’s here. I especially hate that a tiny part of me misses him. That same little boy always seeking impossible approval.

“The CT scan showed no signs of peritonitis, which is fantastic news because if you were septic, that’d change the ballgame, son.” He places his hands